New Horizons
by Thanatos Angelos Girl
Summary: After being disowned from his almost aristocratic family for three years, Roxas's scheming parents seek their son for a proposition: help their reputation by attending college and fifty thousand dollars towards his friends' hopes and dreams will be rewarded to him. But along the way, Roxas discovers his old demons again and a new flame. Will he make it out intact or will he crash?
1. Chapter 1

_**Chapter One: Don't Shoot The Messenger**_

**_Disclaimer: I don't own KH._**

_**A/N: This is the new rewrite of Why Am I Going To College? Please enjoy the story (and thank the wonderful bbb136 for beta reading)!**_

I lay on my gray couch in a tangled heap, too tired to bother with getting to bed. The night before last I had gone out partying to try to clear my head of the knowledge that this was the anniversary of leaving my family. I had left them with a slam of the door and with feelings still raw and hurting because of the fight.

My parents and I don't and didn't have a good relationship. I know many people say the same thing about their parents but we really didn't. My dad was a gambler and investor that seemed to be gifted with Midas's touch, while mom was a woman who was cold and powerful, almost reminding me of a wild cat. She owns a franchise of karate studios and there are still rumors that she used to be an assassin before she married my dad.

Yep, you guessed it all right. I am Roxas Thunder, the son of millionaires, Larxene and Luxord Thunder. Of course, no one really knows about me. Why?

Well, a thousand years ago (read: three years ago) my parents decided we should be honoring the old traditions and they organized for me an arranged marriage with another heir.

_One wedding that never came to be._

I paled at that thought and shook my head to dispel it. I knew that I spent too much time thinking about the past; I should be spending more time with the future and the present day- as well as with my friends.

I jumped from the couch, the sleepiness erased from my mind for the moment, and I looked around the large apartment I shared with a few friends. In the world of the rich and snobby there were always a few stray heirs that could never be tamed. Those individuals, heirs to fortunes bigger than what some people could dream of, were the ones that banded together and moved to a place far away from Radiant Garden.

My friends and I, we moved to a small settlement called Twilight Town. Here nobody knew our parents' names and of the lives we had left behind. Everything that has happened since we arrived because of this has been quiet, peaceful and free.

Well, maybe not the quiet and peaceful. You see, my friends aren't exactly the silent or calm types. Sora, Demyx, Marluxia, and Xigbar are the types who scream from the highest building in town (Twilight Tower to be exact) with a megaphone. Each of them also had that special personality which made it impossible for any one of them to blend in.

"Roxas? What are you doing up?" Demyx yawned, looking ragged with his hair spiked and twisted in different directions and his eyes still puffy with sleep.

"It's _the_ day." I explained, groaning as horrible little thoughts about my family that I'd done my best to forget about came rushing back.

"New Year's?" Dem replied, widening his eyes.

I had, after admitting that today was indeed one of the worst ones in the year for me, pressed my face into the comfortable couch cushion, trying to close my eyes and clear my mind. But at Demyx's response I couldn't help but lift my head and stare at him with my eyebrow arched and my expression one of pure bewilderment.

"What? New Year's? Dem, have you looked at a calendar recently?" I asked him in disbelief and pointed towards the kitchen where Marly had posted on the wall one of his flower power calendars.

"Okay sorry! It's a honest mistake." Demyx retorted back like an indignant child, arms folded and his normally playful smile in a pout.

"Dem, it's August." I told him and watched as his face was stained with a bright red blush. He scratched the back of his head sheepishly.

"I guess what they say about alcohol and brain cells is true." Dem muttered, shifting his weight and I laughed at his words. Demyx was definitely living proof that alcohol did destroy brain cells.

"Yes, but you wouldn't have it any other way." I laughed again. Being in our early twenties, twenty-one to be exact, we both loved to indulge in the vices that the government finally allowed us. We could drink as much as we pleased whenever we pleased- as long as we didn't drive afterwards of course.

"Yeah that's true, I mean who doesn't like to go partying or clubbing?" Demyx grinned. Demyx being the carefree and jolly person he was enjoyed our pastime more than anything. Sometimes a little too much, or at least that was what we tried to tell him but he just preferred to party hard and work way less.

I couldn't blame him though, because I loved it too and so did the rest of the house. In fact we all had gotten jobs so we could earn enough money to start a club in Twilight Town and possibly spread it to far regions. Well, that and apartments and food didn't come free. Even in small towns like Twilight Town where rent is only one hundred dollars a month compared to Radiant Garden's more extravagant one thousand dollar rent.

I stood up and walked into the kitchen tostare at the silver surfaces with weary eyes. I ransacked the cupboards and managed to find a Poptarts box, but when I peered inside the box was empty and it almost seemed like it had been vacuumed cleaned.

"When will Sora or Marluxia go grocery shopping? Whose turn is it again?" I asked, as I knew that it wasn't Xigbar's or mine because Xigbar had done it last week and I always had to do it before him.

"I don't know. I think Sora's but as I am not allowed to shop or even tag along I could be wrong." Demyx answered with another of his trademark smiles as he surveyed the inside of the fridge.

"Of course! After you only bought candy on a sugar rush for the entire week with the grocery money, I say it was a well thought out consequence." I retorted as I remembered the long afternoon Xigbar had spent chasing Demyx around the house after he saw what the other boy had brought home.

"One time." He reminded me as he closed the fridge door, unsuccessful in finding anything to eat.

"Yes, and the other time it was popcorn and Marly was about to strangle you because he hated popcorn. Or maybe he was allergic, I can't quite remember which." I looked through the many cabinets and cupboards one more time before admitting defeat and closing the doors. Nothing was in there.

"Okay I get it! I am an irresponsible Peter Pan kind of guy!" Dem rolled his eyes and sat down at the table with a huff.

"Thank you. I am always right." I smirked and watched Dem's jaw drop.

"Liar!" He cried loudly, pointing a slender yet strong finger at me.

"Quiet Dem, you will wake up the others." I said warningly.

"I will not." Dem stuck his tongue out at me but froze when he heard loud and heavy footsteps coming down the stairs.

"Hide me." He cried and shoved me in front of him like a shield just as the door opened.

"Hey." Marluxia greeted me as he walked to the table. He didn't so much as glance in Dem's direction when he moved, swaying his hips in a natural walk. Marly was cocky, arrogant, and definitely self confident to the point of narcissism. Of course I think he had to be since he had naturally bright, pink hair that made everybody (myself included) think that he was celebrating Valentine's Day everyday.

Dem looked at Marly and then in the direction of the stairs. I knew he thought Xigbar would appear and make his skin his favorite colors: black and blue. Luckily for him it was only the naturally loud Marluxia.

"What are you two doing?" Marluxia asked, wrinkling his nose as he eyed the position Dem and I were still in.

"Oh sorry!" Dem cried and finally let go of me. I felt myself loosen up and I leaned against the counter as Dem sat down at the table with Marluxia. I looked down at the white tile floor of the kitchen and sighed. Now that the rush was gone the memory of slamming the front door of my parents' house and driving away filled my head. Gosh, even after three years it felt so weird to call it "my parents' house".

"Do I need to do anything for you?" Marly murmured, taking one of his kinder and less haughty tones. I looked up at him, realizing my face probably wasn't a rainbow of happiness at the moment.

"Okay, what is today?" Dem asked in frustration. I had only just opened my mouth to speak when Marly answered for me.

"God, I swear I don't know whether you pretend to be this dumb or if you actually are. It's D day." He announced, raising his nose up at Demyx.

I frowned at his tone. I still didn't like how Marly talked at times, though I understood why he did. His behavior was based off the same thing which was depressing me now: family. I had always known, even before I heard it from anybody else, that nothing messes up a person more than family.

"Oh! The day we take care of Roxas! However, how are we going to take care of him when the grocery shopping isn't done, like say my beloved Goldfish?" Demyx asked the pink haired house mate. I turned to look at the cupboards at that sentence. I knew Demyx would be cranky and upset without his favorite snack.

"It's Sora's turn! However, he hasn't come back from his boyfriend's yet." Marly informed him.

"You know what? I'll get the food. I need something to eat anyway." I said and grabbed my keys and the grocery list that we kept on the marble counter.

"I love you!" Demyx shouted, smiling a fool's grin. He then tried to make a heart with his hands but somehow it ended up looking like a spade…

"Me too." I shot back with a smirk and went upstairs to get some proper clothes on. I couldn't go to the grocery store in this little town with the clothes I had on yesterday.

Rushing through my morning routine I turned to the mirror and looked myself up and down. I was wearing my usual white jacket with a blue shirt and my black and white checkered bracelets. I also had on my black jeans and my checkered black and white shoes, which I liked wearing solely because they went with my bracelets. I grabbed my phone and slid it open to check my messages.

I glanced through them all but paused at the last one. Riku? Wasn't he with Sora? And he rarely messaged me anyway, so what did he want now? Curious, I opened the message and gulped.

Riku's parents were close friends of my own so when I saw the words "your parents want to talk to you" I knew that I needed to thank Riku for dealing with his parents long enough to get the message. I also needed to hit him for it too because I knew that I was in for a world of confusion and chaos.

I groaned, running my hand through my spiky blonde hair. I dropped my phone back onto my desk. I couldn't believe this was happening to me now!

Resigned to my fate, I plodded down the stairs with the grocery list and with a tired goodbye to the two house mates, left to go shopping. I needed something to take my mind off this.

_God, if I could get away with it I would shoot you, Riku. Damn the messenger, even if he is your best friend's boyfriend._

**_R and R! Please don't favorite without reviewing!_**


	2. The Wicked Witch

**A/N: Here it is! Please enjoy the next installment!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts.**

Unlike Radiant Garden which buzzed with noise Twilight Town is quiet, and I mean quiet. You could hear a pin drop at night unless you were in downtown, where every night seemed like a celebration.

I drove in my car as I looked around the town, the black of the paint causing it to practically melt into the night. I could see the stars and even the movements of kids playing flashlight tag in small residential neighborhoods, not a single worry in their innocent little minds.

Let me tell you, the houses are beautiful and are surely define architectural brilliance. They twist and curve, forming almost a land of brightly colored buildings with its life spelled out in every stone. The town was, in simpler words, cozy and warm like it's buildings.

The people are amazing too. When my friends and I, aged twenty-one to twenty five, came to town with absolutely no idea of what to do and where to go the people here helped tremendously. You see, the town is only three hundred people at the most (despite the impression the buildings give off) andeveryone knows each other by name.

So from quiet Twilight Town, the streets of which I was driving down now, to Radiant Gardens, everything was a complete culture shock. I parked in the closest free space in front of the grocery store and quickly got out of the car. I waved at the cashier who I knew well enough to warrant a greeting after going to a few parties with him.

I could remember the days when I never saw my friends unless we actually scheduled meetings because we were either all busy, or we were never in close range. Now if we all were out we could meet up somewhere at the end of the night without even planning to.

I looked around the aisles of the store, pushing a shopping cart about, trying to find the items on the list. I walked up and down, up and down, grabbing the desired food; things like Demyx's fish shaped treats, Marly's herbal tea, Sora's Papou Fruit, Xigbar's chewing gum and my delicious Sea Salt ice cream. Only once I had finished this task didI start looking at what to get for the meals. I was just examining a packet of pasta when my phone went off, playing a cheerful ring tone that matched the personality of my close friend down to the various quirks in the beat.

"Hello Sora." I greeted, pressing the green button down on my phone.

"I am so sorry I wasn't home in time! I just got home, and I am so sorry Roxas. I promise to make it up to you! I promise!" He cried pleadingly, trying desperately to right his wrong.

I laughed into the phone and shifted the cart to another aisle. I grabbed the spices spinning on little wheels and several other little things, before switching aisles again. I also managed to bump into Mrs. Rosella, a kind older lady down the street from the flower shop Marly worked at, before speaking again.

"It's fine Sora. I am a big boy and I can go shopping in a short time. It was just convenient and you would have had plenty of time to get the shopping done, if there wasn't a crowd in the kitchen." I told him. I moved the phone's speaker away from my face to ask the butcher, Bobby, to cut a few chicken pieces and some beef for me.

"I know Roxas, but I still feel bad. I promise to do it next time!" I sighed at his words.

"Like I said it is _fine_ and I'm half way done with the grocery list anyway. But can you tell me how Riku was when you left? Was he agitated or just ready to kill someone?" I asked, accepting the meat from Bobby and thanking him distractedly before turning into the chocolate aisle, intent on getting something for Riku. He had to be either drinking or busy recovering from a painful hangover if he'd just had a conversation with his parents -thanks to me- and I knew I needed to try to give a 'reward' of some sort to him for his valiant efforts.

"Now that you mention it he was gripping the steering wheel kinda' hard, like his knuckles were actually white. How did you…" Sora trailed off and I knew he had this 'thinking face' on because of it.

I slipped into one more aisle before answering.I knew he would question me about the subject until he got an answer and honestly, I didn't want to hear it. I just wanted today to be over and to throw myself in something else, anything else. After a few minutes I knew the pause had grown too longand I needed to speak again.

"Riku sent me a message that said my parents wanted to talk to me and Riku found that out the only way he could: through _his_ parents. You know Riku's father and Riku don't have a good history. I need to give him a gift for that." I answered and I looked through jumbo bags of chocolate bite sized snacks and various other candies including but not limiting to; gummy snacks, and assorted chocolates.

The severity of the talk between father and son seemed, on a scale of one to ten, at least a five, judging on Sora's observations. I ran a hand through my messyhair before taking several bags and moving on to the final aisle. Better to be safe than sorry and there was always a chance that Riku would chew me out for having to deal with his parents. It all depended on exactly was said or implied and nothing is ever what it seems.

"That's true, he headed towards the gym after picking me up. I don't know if he's still there." Sora commented while I checked how many items I had in the cart.

"How do you know he went to the gym?" I asked. "Did he tell you? It's not as if he likes to talk." I added after a pause and stood behind two other people with carts, glancing at my mountain of items. It would take a long time to check out all of this.

"He put his gym bag in the car. Actually, he goes to the gym near the grocery store so it wouldn't be that far from you right now."

"Okay, after I go through check out and the lovely loading of the groceries into the car I'll stop by there before I go home. I have got to go, I am the second person in line for the check out Sora." I said as I started putting my groceries on the counter, using the grocery's stick to separate the items from the woman in front of me.

"Okay then, see you later Roxas." He replied and suddenly the other end is quiet and calm, something it never usually is when Sora or the others call me, and it makes me feel alone for a moment. The friendly chatter in my ear is missing and it isn't until the clerk tells the lady in front of me her total that I put my phone away and continue unloading the groceries.

My head's a little heavy with worry. If I did in fact, talk to Riku, would he be mad at me? Would he blame me for the fight he had? I didn't want him to and I knew the conversation he had could not have been the easiest. I mean, your estranged parents call you just to tell you to send a message to one of your friends? Anyone would be mad but would he be mad at me? Would he feel some sort of resentment towards me?

I was jolted out of my thoughts when the clerk told me the price of the groceries and I pulled out the money that all of us, my housemates and I, contributed for shopping. As I loaded the groceries back in the cart to take them to my car I couldn't help know I needed to talk to him sooner than later. I just hoped he didn't throw a weight at me…

I somehow, despite the butterflies in my stomach, managed to travel to the car and load the groceries without a mishap. I drove around the surrounding roads and after a few turns I arrived at a bright-lit building. I parked the car and grabbed the candy, putting it into one grocery bag and walked into the gym. I looked around at the front lobby.

The sound of clanging, metal against metal, the sound of grunts and groans as muscles burned and ached filled the building. I looked around for a shining head of silver hair and started cautiously walking around the gym, keeping an eye out for Riku as I explored.

"Riku?" I asked as I walked into another section of the building where the bicep machines and weight machines were. I heard the clang of metal against metal and I whipped my head to the side and saw Riku, laying down on one of the benches. He squinted at me and put the weights back on the bar before staggering up and walking towards me.

"What are you doing here, Roxas?" Riku asked, his body glistening with the sweat visible underneath his tank top. I wrinkled my nose at the smell.

"Just trying to thank you for dealing with your parents for me." I told him and he grimaced.

"Yeah, it wasn't a picnic talking to them again, especially my dad but you didn't need to come here. How did you know where I was anyway? What do you have a microchip in me?" He laughed and opened a bottle of water he'd just swabbed from a nearby station.

"No, more of a concerned Sora who is somewhat observant, surprisingly." I said and he frowned, his brows furrowing.

"Is he that worried?" Riku asked, concerned. I shrugged.

"I told him what happened so I think he's worried but he knows it is something you need to deal with and he knows it doesn't involve him." I told him and I shuffled my feet. I had something else I wanted to ask him but I didn't want to bring it up. Obviously though I was a terrible actor as Riku put his hands on his hips and narrowed his eyes at me.

"Is something the matter Roxas?" Riku questioned and I shook my head but then sighed.

"Are we okay? I know you had to go through so much drama and fighting to give me a message because my parents couldn't pick up a phone and tell me themselves. It's my fault and I don't want you to be mad at me. I brought candy." I added, shaking the shopping bag.

"I am not mad at you. You can calm down about that. My parents volunteered because they wanted to yell at me about something else. Your parents are not to blame, mine are." Riku replied and it was my turn to frown.

Riku's parents had volunteered? That made me feel slightly better but if they had made such an offer as to call their "dishonorable" (as I was sure they would call him) son then it was much worse then I had thought. I looked at Riku, trying to find some sign of what it might have been and whether the talk with his parents had hurt him in some way. They were always great at verbal assaults and guilt trips; they were a very cruel pair. Riku was, to outsiders, cold and distant but that was only a façade he made to keep out his parents. To stand through a fight with them he had to have a poker face on and act like they weren't affecting him. His parents had thrown the worst blows, comparing him to his seemingly perfect older brother Sephiroth and going on about how he wasn't "walking in the Langston footsteps".

I sighed, not finding anything. Not a single crack in Riku's armor showed. Damn his impeccable poker face.

"I'm fine, Roxas. You don't need to stare at me like an experiment!" Riku cried out irritably.

I knew it wouldn't work to badger him even though I wanted to so badly. I would have to tell Sora and he would have to help his boyfriend because despite being one of his close friends Riku told Sora everything first. Maybe it was because they had been dating for years and before that they had been best friends for even longer – actually now that I thought about it the fact that they were closer than Riku and I really wasn't that strange at all. Anyway, I nodded at the silver headed male.

"You are right, I'm just concerned. You know you are welcome to banter, rant, scream, and anything else about your parents with me. Hell, we could make it a parent bashing fest with alcohol and all the works." I offered and he smiled.

"I know Mama Roxas." He said, rolling his eyes.

"Me, your mother? That is way below the belt." I cried in mock horror.

"I meant the mother I should have had. Anyway, back to the candy you were mentioning before, what kind is it?" He asked, his blue green eyes glittering in the light of the gym.

"Does that mean you are done working out?" I asked, glancing at the abandoned weight station.

"What do you think?" He laughed and I smirked. Candy was always Riku's weakness; he had the biggest sweet tooth I had ever known. He could eat sugar laced with sugar and sprinkled with sugar – in fact he did.

"Hmmm…. I think it was two jumbo bags of Snickers, a bag of Swedish fish, and a small bag of Musketeers. It was a big bag!" I added the last part somewhat defensively as his eyebrows arched high into the sky with every passing word.

"Gosh, you are trying to fatten me up and feed me to Hansel's and Gretel's witch, huh?" Riku exclaimed and I nodded.

"I am, you're the weekly special: platinum blonde and fit man with a bad temper and a biting tongue." I winked and he let out a deep laugh.

"Well then Sora will have to cut open the witch's stomach with a big key." Riku added as he bid goodbye to the receptionist whose eyes followed him out.

"What good would a big key do?" I frowned, pondering what damage it could do. Not much I supposed but if it was _huge_….

"I don't know, it was in a dream I had." Riku replied as he held the front door open for me.

"Thanks but you _seriously_ had a dream about Sora waving around a big key?"

"Yeah, he was actually striking a witch down, she was green skinned and all. The witch had tried to hurt me." Riku laughed.

"What were you smoking- I don't think you should have that anymore." I advised with a mock concerned look on my face.

"I don't know!" He smirked but just when we were about to part ways his hand shot out and clamped around my wrist. My smile vanished.

"You need to talk to your parents, even though they were ranting they were stressing that the most." Riku told me. All the fun and humor had disappeared rapidly from his face.

"Okay." I replied and I felt a gnawing feeling in my stomach.

"If you want we could do it here and that way I could cuss them out if need be." Riku offered.

"No, Sora's worried about you already. I don't think making my parents upset would help your situation besides, I am a big boy and I can do it by myself." I told him and felt my chest puff up. I could do it. Couldn't I?

"You were? I didn't know that!" Riku said in shock and I punched his shoulder.

"Jerk!" I yelled and he laughed as he waved goodbye (having nabbed the bag from my hand) and started walking away. I rolled my eyes at his retreating form and turned to my own car.

With every step I took I could feel the apprehension grow stronger; where had that courage come from and why couldn't I summon it back? I sighed and ran my hand through my blonde hair. It was probably because Riku was there and he had a warrior nature about him which tended to contaminate other people. I didn't, or at least not by myself. How could I talk to them when they shunned their only child, me, away just because I didn't fit their perfect picture because I was gay?

Despite the fear though I could feel my curiosity stir deep inside me, I mean how could it not? I had not spoken to them since I left on myeighteenth birthday and now they wanted to speak to me? After three birthdays, Christmases, New Year's, and Thanksgivings? But even if I decided not to see them then wouldn't they just keep bothering the people I cared about? And that was another thing! Why not just call me? They knew where I lived after all; I had sent them one postcard for Christmas one year (they didn't even acknowledged that they had heard word from me though, how foolish was I for sending that?).

I felt my anger boil, the blood running through my veins growing hot. I couldn't take it anymore! Why should they consume my thoughts anymore than they have now?

I grabbed my phone and dialed one of the few numbers I had memorized, hearing the strange and echoing ringing.

"Thunder Residence this is Maxwell, may I help you?" A familiar older man's voice sounded. Lazy bums, they couldn't even answer their own phone.

"Hello Max, it's me Roxas. How have you been?" I asked and I heard a gasp come from his end.

"Master Roxas? It has been so long! I almost forgot your voice. Forgive me for that. I have been fine and you?" He sounded excited and almost giddy. I smiled; it was good to know one person cared in _that_ household.

"Fine, look I'm calling because apparently my parents want to speak to me?" I said and my only answer was fumbling sounds.

"I will go ask in one moment, if you would hold on that would be highly appreciated." He replied back.

"Sure Max." I said but I doubted he had stayed to hear my confirmation. Max was sweet, I liked him more than I did my parents; then again that wasn't really saying much.

I fumbled with my keys before getting into my car and locking the doors. I slumped in my seat and stared out into the open space before me. Two children walked past with their parents, laughing as they ate ice cream and suddenly there was pain in my chest.

"Master Roxas, they said they needed to speak to you on a serious matter and they would like to meet you at home." Max sounded apologetic and I found myself chewing my bottom lip. They wanted to meet me but put no effort into doing so? Typical.

"That will be fine Max, thank you. I will see you soon. Good bye." I said down the phone and I could almost see his smile.

"T-thank you Master Roxas, have a good day." The man's voice was warmer than I'd ever heard it.

I gripped the steering wheel with a hard, knuckles-turning-white grip and I started the car. Soon I would see them and honestly, I was freaked out.

Here we go to the gingerbread house, hopefully there won't be a witch or two behind the door.

_**R and R! Please don't favorite without reviewing!**_


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